Today’s update discusses:

• two counties chose a different reopening strategy 
• casinos to remain closed

EMERGENCY POWERS

• Moniteau County health officials stated on Wednesday that this central Missouri county is working to adopt a continuation of the statewide stay-at-home order. The county hopes to adopt the order and extend it for another 14 days to allow for a decline in new COVID-19 cases. An emergency meeting on the order was held yesterday, and today a final decision should be made.
• Johnson County, east of Kansas City, will also vote this week on whether to extend its stay-at-home order until mid-May. The county is looking at a phased approach that will start with the opening of retail and commercial business, among others, and will rely heavily on recommendations from the task force appointed to put together the phasing plan. The county hopes the order will provide enough guidance to keep people from coming into the county to use businesses that are not yet open in their own areas.

GAMING INDUSTRY

• While the majority of Missouri is planning to re-open on Monday, Missouri casinos will not be opening. The state’s top gambling regulator, Mike Leara, stated that they are not ready to give casinos the go-ahead to open, stating they will be closed until at least May 15 or longer depending on the status of the pandemic at that time. The purpose of the closure is to prevent competition between casinos, emphasizing that when they do reopen, it will be statewide.